Coming close to stealing the whole show was Ng's Dulcamara, whose mountebank manners and outrageous swagger (accompanied by a bevy of blonde nurses no less) made him one of the most pleasant “villains” around.
Jonathan Charles Tay and Martin Ng were both vocally suited for their roles as leads Don José and Escamillo respectively – Tay’s Flower Song was effortlessly sung, with lovely floated notes at the end, and Ng’s Toreador Song swaggered as befitting the matador equivalent of a rock star.
Instead, it is the cocky heartthrob Escamillo, played by baritone powerhouse Martin Ng, whose chemistry with Carmen truly sizzles. With strong rugged eyebrows and a delicious swagger, Ng’s Escamillo easily dominates the stage. He delivers the Toreador Song in a suitably brawny timbre, while finding softer tones to harmonise poignantly with Weng in their Act IV love duet (Si tu m’aimes, Carmen). It’s the last tender moment of the opera, before the terrible violence of her confrontation with Don José.
Local singer Ng was excellent as a courageous Amonasro, sporting a voice burnished with determination and a performance acted with vigour.
